Chicken Mediterranean Skillet Pizza
Homemade Pizza Dough Topped with baby spinach, grape tomatoes, roasted chicken, olives, and two kinds of cheese-baked in a cast-iron skillet!
Hello, sweet friends!
Michael and I have always felt traditions are important so almost immediately after we were married we started creating them.
One of our first was having a homemade pizza night once a week. That went on for quite a few years and now even my daughter’s family has picked up the tradition!
Of course this past year we’ve both been trying to lose a little ‘extra’ weight and eat healthier so we are limiting ourselves to having pizza night once a month instead!
I’ll admit it’s actually been a good thing, because not only do I look forward to it, I actually am trying new and even MORE delicious ways to enjoy it!
Today I’m going to share one of my latest creations!
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Now usually pizza is made on a pizza pan or stone. But today I’m sharing a skillet pizza recipe, so you’re going to need to dig out your cast-iron skillet! I know you have one!
NO? Well, friend, you really NEED to get one! They are such an amazing tool in the kitchen! I use mine for everything. Baking, one-pot dinners, pancakes, and yes, pizza!
Now before I get to how we make the pizza, let me start by saying I planned this post several weeks ago. When I did, there was a shortage of flour, but I kept the faith that by the time it came to typing up this post the flour shortage would be over. I was right, (at least in my local store) but now there is a yeast shortage!! That’s right. NO YEAST! And of course, my pizza dough recipe calls for yeast!
What’s a girl to do? Well, it’s was back to the taste testing drawing board!
Thankfully I was able to come up with a substitute that actually worked the first time!
What can you use as a substitution for yeast in pizza dough?
Equal parts baking soda & buttermilk! So if your recipe calls for a package of yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons). You substitute it with 1 1/8 teaspoons of baking soda + 1 1/8 teaspoons buttermilk. Mixing the two together reacts exactly like yeast when it hits warm water. POOF!!Â
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
No worries. I didn’t either. I just made my own. (Pour 1 Tablespoon of vinegar into a glass measuring cup. Pour in milk and fill to the 1 cup line.) Mix well. Let it sit for 5 minutes. ** I only need 1 1/8 teaspoon for my recipe so I refrigerated the rest for another recipe.
Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready!
This is VERY important! I’ll be sharing why in just a bit!
Here are the rest of the ingredients you’ll need! Baby spinach, plum or grape tomatoes, olives, chicken (cooked), feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and red onion. (I didn’t have any red onion so I skipped it.) For the sauce, you’ll mix together Olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning.
To bake this delicious crust to perfection you’re going to need a VERY hot oven! Like 500 degrees hot! So while you’re preparing your other ingredients preheat that oven.
Now that the oven is preheated it’s time to prepare your skillet.** This step is absolutely necessary for a crispy on the outside-tender on the inside crust so please don’t skip it! Place your empty skillet into the oven for 10 minutes!
After 10 minutes, CAREFULLY remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a protective surface. (IT WILL BE SUPER HOT!)Â
Now it’s time to add your dough to the skillet. Before you do* drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into the hot pan. Then carefully place your dough into the center of the skillet and with your fingers begin to spread the dough out to the edges. (You will hear a sizzling sound the moment the dough hits the skillet! That’s a good thing!)
However big your pan is-will be how thick your crust is.Â
I like a thicker crust but if you’re not a fan I would definitely cut the dough in half and make 2 smaller pizzas instead of 1 large.
Now it’s time to assemble your pizza!
When the cheese begins to bubble and the crust turns golden brown, your pizza is ready to come out of the oven!
I like to sprinkle the pizza with just a little extra feta cheese and fresh basil if I have it! Then it’s time to cut and EAT!!!
I guarantee EVERY bite of that tangy melted cheese, sweet tomato, fresh spinach, and moist chicken will tantalize your tastebuds! But it’s that crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside crust that will make you go in for another bite!
And another…and another!
Here’s the full recipe for my Chicken Mediterranean Skillet Pizza!
Chicken Mediterranean Skillet Pizza
Homemade Pizza dough topped with spinach, tomatoes, roasted chicken, olives, and two kinds of cheese!
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 1/4 tsp active yeast **SEE Substitution
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Toppings
- 1 medium chicken breast cooked & diced
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil **Divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 6-7 grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced thinly (Optional)
- 1/2 cup black olives
Instructions
-
Add warm water and yeast (or substitute)**SEE BELOW to a stand mixer bowl. Add in sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then add in flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with dough hook for 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Put the dough in a warm location away from any drafts. Let dough rest for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 4 Tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 500. When hot, place a cast-iron skillet into the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a protected surface. Pour in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Place pizza dough into the center of the skillet and carefully spread the dough out to the edges. Brush the dough with the olive oil and garlic mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese and chicken. Cover with onion, Spinach, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese. Place skillet back in the oven for 14-16 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Allow it to cool slightly before cutting.
Recipe Notes
**Substitute active yeast with equal parts baking soda and buttermilk
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast = 1 1/8 teaspoon baking soda + 1 1/8 teaspoon buttermilk
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If you’ve never tried a skillet pizza, I hope today I’ve inspired you to try one! And if you don’t already have a traditional pizza night, I hope you start one too!
Obviously, they are so yummy to eat, but they can be super fun to make too!
Here are more pizza recipes that you may enjoy!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Stay well!
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Thank you so much for stopping by!
This looks so good and can you believe I don’t have a cast iron pan. It’s my goal in the future when we finally get settled. I have this vision of cooking over a fire pit in the countryside, we use to do that on our farm and I loved it. I would have never thought to cook pizza in cast iron. Yum!
Thank you so much, Carole! And yes, definitely pick one up when you get settled. I just love mine and use it all the time! Your vision of cooking over a campfire sounds amazing! Better yet-cooking a pizza over the campfire! Now that would be YUMMY!! Have a great rest of your week my friend! Hope all is well!
This looks so good! Now I’m inspired to drag my cast iron skillet back out. I always say that the more veggies you pile on a pizza the healthier.
Thanks for the yeast substitute! I can’t find any either and I wanted to make bread.
Actually, I have to invest in a cast iron skillet. Thank you for such an incredible pizza recipe. I’m always looking for homemade pizza recipes as my girls prefer them over the store bought ones.
Your step by step pictures are very helpful.
Thanks
Oh I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much! Your investment in a cast-iron skillet will be a good one. I guarantee it! I hope you and your girls love the pizza!
I’m right there with you, Michelle! Veggie + Cheese! LOL!
Looks so yummy. I am going to share this recipe with my daughter. She would absolutely love this one!
Super excited to try this recipe, Christine! It looks so good and super each too which we all need right now. I’ve pinned, share on my From the Front Porch post, and sent to my sisters too. They’re excited as well. Thank you for the recipe! Hugs, CoCo